Mystery Behind the Locks
by DarkHope24
Summary: A new student, one who has come to Ouran with an air of mystery. Nobody knows anything about except her name, and that includes Kyoya. What will be uncovered about her past and who is she? Some may fall for this mysterious girl. Rated T just in case. HostsXOC
1. Chapter 1

**I haven't decided who I want to pair my OC with yet. You can vote for your favorite Host and that can help me decide. Please Review. I want to know what you think!**

**Summary: **A new student, one who has come to Ouran with an air of mystery. Nobody knows anything about except her name, and that includes Kyoya. What will be uncovered about her past and who is she? Some may fall for this mysterious girl. Rated T just in case. HostsXOC

**Don't own OHSHC!**

Chapter One: A New Neighbor and Classmate

Haruhi was walking home from the grocery store. She relished the soft breeze that blew through the air, cooling her surroundings. She witnessed the beauty that the waves of floating sakura blossoms create as the pink petals dance in the wind.

Haruhi gave a satisfied sigh and continued the short journey from the store to her apartment. Her soft pink dress blew in the wind and circled around her pale legs. As her cream sandals clacked against the smooth pavement, Haruhi's thoughts wondered to the Host Club causing an amused smile to grace the soft features of her face.

Tamaki was certainly the most…energetic of the hosts. He was definitely hansom; his sun kissed hair and pure violet eyes give him the princely look that he so craved for. Many a time Haruhi has been victim to one of Tamaki's mood swings. He goes from eccentric to depressed to serious and back to content in a matter of minutes, but Haruhi wouldn't have him any other way.

Her thoughts then traveled to the little devils that wreak havoc on the Host Club. Haruhi can tell them apart. She knows that though they look similar…ok that's the understatement of the year. They look identical, but they are completely different people, two halves of the same whole. They wouldn't be complete without the other. Hikaru has more of a temper and tends to be more mischievous than his brother. Kaoru is more sensitive and kind, he usually just goes along with whatever his twin wants to do instead of what he wants to do. They love their pranks and have always been able to get a laugh out of Haruhi.

Nearly halfway to her apartment, Haruhi's focus switched to the Shadow King. Calculating and conniving are the two adjectives that seem to sum up Kyoya. However, Haruhi knows that there is more to him than that. He is selfless and incredibly intelligent. He doesn't like to show his kind side because he feels it is a weakness, that's what his father would tell him anyway. Hrauhi values her friendship with him, even if he constantly adds to her debt.

Haruhi then thought of the silent host and his little companion. Honey's love of sweets can never be matched. Haruhi always wondered how the tiny senior was able to stay so skinny, but she just blamed it on an incredible metabolism and his intense martial arts training. Mori is always silent, and she didn't understand why until she realized that words weren't always necessary. Haruhi looked up to them, or down in Honey's case, as role models and amazing friends.

Haruhi giggled and then continued her walk. She hadn't realized how close she was until she saw her apartment complex not too far in the distance.

She shared a small apartment with her okama father. Ever since her mother died, she's been very independent, but she knows she still needs her dad. He reminds her of Tamaki, which is ironic since he absolutely despises the blonde prince.

As she approached the small complex, Haruhi noticed a moving truck that was outside the building. For a moment a confused expression appeared on Haruhi's face, then one of realization.

Haruhi had forgotten that her new next door neighbor was moving in today.

She walked up to the building, still holding her many groceries, Haruhi looked around for her new neighbor. She wanted to say "Hi" and maybe invite them over for dinner.

Not spotting anybody, Haruhi shrugged and went to put the groceries down in her kitchen. Unlocking the door and pushing it open was much more difficult with the bags hanging on her arms, but Haruhi managed to swing the door open within seconds. She placed the food on the counter in the kitchen and began putting them away. As she was doing this, she spotted a note that was taped to the fridge.

_My Dearest Haruhi,_

_I'm so sorry I am not home. I know you were looking forward to having dinner together. But one of my coworkers called in sick, so I had to take up an extra shift. I'll be home late tonight. Please don't stay up too late studying. Gosh you're such a hard worker and that's what I love about you! Anyway, goodnight my beautiful daughter and I will see you in the morning!_

_Your Favorite Father,_

_Ranka_

Haruhi sighed as she shook her head, her hair flapping against her cheeks. She put on a fake smile even though nobody was around. She believed that as long as she smiled, everything would be ok.

As she was about to start to prepare her dinner for the night, she realized that she never got a chance to meet her new neighbor and invite them to dinner. Her smile changed, morphing into her natural smile that the students at school fawned over. Maybe she wouldn't be alone for dinner after all.

Haruhi slipped out of her apartment after putting back on her cream colored sandals.

She looked over the ledge, her apartment was on the fourth floor, and saw someone grabbing boxes out of the moving truck. Haruhi could only assume that that was her new neighbor, so she trotted down the stairs with excitement.

Haruhi was now standing at the open end of the truck, seeing a figure sorting through the boxes.

"Um, excuse me," Haruhi interrupted. The figure turned around revealing the silhouette of a girl. She walked out from deep within the truck and jumped down, landing in a crouch in front of Haruhi.

She stood up straight, towering over Haruhi by at least six inches. Haruhi is short, standing at 5'3", so this person was incredibly tall to her even though the hosts are taller, excluding Honey.

She was wearing dark blue skinny jeans that were torn in some areas. Black converse adorned her feet. She was also wearing an incredibly baggy sweatshirt with the Japanese symbol for "Hope" printed in white at the center. Her hands were stuffed into her pockets.

Her hair was black as the darkest night and was incredibly long, flowing down to the middle of her back. Her head was slightly bowed, so her bangs fell in front her eyes, shielding them from Haruhi's view.

She was skinny, at least based on what was noticeable under the baggy clothes and she had pale skin.

"Hi, I'm Haruhi. I'm your next door neighbor," Haruhi motioned to her apartment.

"Name's Tori Karoto," Tori held out her hand for Haruhi to shake. Haruhi couldn't help but notice the several charcoal stains on Tori's hands, but shrugged it off. She grasped her hand and they shook.

Tori's voice was impassive and monotonous. It was weird, but Haruhi also found it somewhat soothing.

"So, do you mind if I ask how old you are?" Haruhi said sheepishly. She wasn't sure why she asked, but she felt the urge to know. And the ever blunt Haruhi always speaks her mind.

"16." At that, Haruhi's eyes became the size of saucers. Tori is only one year older than her! But that can't be right, can it?

"Where are your parents? Shouldn't they be here too?" Haruhi blurted out, unable to contain her curiosity. Seriously, will Haruhi ever learn to be less blunt? Probably not.

Tori's shoulders sagged the slightest bit, unnoticed by Haruhi. "Nope, just me," She stated, raising Haruhi's curiosity even more.

"Well," Haruhi started awkwardly, "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to have dinner with me tonight? My dad won't be home till late tonight so it'll be just me."

"I've already eaten. Plus, I need to finish unpacking," Tori said with a small wave. She disappeared into the truck again. They had a small exchange, but it had not gone well and that bothered Haruhi to no end. She always had an easy time making friends, but it seemed that Tori didn't want any friends.

Haruhi's face fell and she made the long assent up the stairs back up to her apartment. She slumped into a chair and rested her head in the palm of her right hand. She found the coffee stain on the rug very interesting at the moment.

She didn't feel like studying, or doing her homework for that matter. But she had an obligation to the school, so she trudged into her room to do it. Hardly paying attention to what she was writing, Haruhi could only hope that her grades won't suffer too greatly.

After eating dinner, showering and putting on a light blue night gown that her father had bought her, Haruhi lay in bed. She was staring at the ceiling, her arms crossed under the weight of her head. She could hear Tori going up and down the stairs as she unpacked her belongings.

Haruhi was feeling really lonely lately. She had the host club, but when she was home alone at night and her father was at work, she couldn't help but let the loneliness consume her. She would try to busy herself with studying and homework to keep her mind off of it, but it never worked that well.

She hoped that if she befriended the neighbor she might be less lonely.

Just before she drifted into a peaceful unconsciousness, Haruhi heard her father open the front door and tip toe into the house.

Morning came sooner than Haruhi would have liked. She was up late the night before thinking about the possibility of her and Tori being friends.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and slowly got out of bed. Stretching her beck, she heard a satisfying pop ripple through her bosy. Sighing, she tip toed around the apartment, mindful of not waking up her sleeping father.

Haruhi put on her Ouran Academy Uniform, which consisted of black slacks, a white shirt, black shoes, a dark blue blazer with the school insignia, and a black and red striped tie. She made sure everything was in order, no wrinkles or stray pieces of lint.

Haruhi silently walked into the kitchen so that she could make a small breakfast for her and her father. As she cooked, Haruhi's thoughts returned to the new neighbor.

She was wondering where Tori went to school, if she went to school, if she worked, where her parents were. So many questions and no answers. She sighed, maybe she could ask Kyoya to do some research.

Haruhi finished making breakfast and ate in a lonely silence. She checked the wall clock and realized it was time to leave for school.

After putting her father's breakfast in the fridge along with a note saying she left for school, Haruhi left her apartment and began the long walk to the privileged school.

She's on an academic scholarship because she did amazing work on her exams and reports.

She practically ran into Tori on the way out the door. But before she could fall on her ass and embarrass herself even further than she already had, Tori grasped her hand firmly and pulled her back up to a standing position.

Tori nodded to Haruhi and then began walking down the stairs.

"Wait, where are you going?" Haruhi yelled, catching up to Tori after racing down the stairs.

"School," Tori replied with a shrug.

Haruhi examined her. She saw that Tori was wearing a uniform. Black slacks with black shoes, a white button up shirt and a blue blazer, plus the red and black striped tie. Her hair was down, cascading down her backside, looking as silky as ever and her bangs still concealed her eyes. Haruhi recognized that uniform and she glanced down at her own. Realization finally hit.

"You go to Ouran?" Haruhi nearly screeched.

"Yeah," Tori shrugged.

"But how?" Was all Haruhi could choke out in the situation. She was trying to wrap her head around this, but it was just too unreal. Her new next door neighbor, attending the same school as her. Now that can't just be a coincidence, but maybe it is. These things happen all the time. Like when you realize that your mom knows your ex-boyfriend's cousin from high school and they were like best friends. It's possible, but Haruhi didn't want to believe it.

"Scholarship," Again with the single word replies. Haruhi was beginning to think that she was talking to Mori.

"Scholarship in what?" Haruhi asked lightly. She was trying to make pleasant conversation with the girl, but it was harder than it looked.

Tori stopped and turned to Haruhi. Apparently they had reached the school and were now standing in the front gates.

The gates were gold and were incredibly high. Pink brick walls went off in either direction so far, you couldn't see when they turned a corner. That's just how enormous the school actually was.

The perfectly trimmed bright green grass smelled fresh and shined with dew drops. The gardens were in full bloom, the flowers that grew gave off a peaceful aroma that wrapped itself around you like a blanket, causing shivers to course through your body. And the building itself could be described in one word: big. It was gigantic. The walls were three times higher than Haruhi's apartment complex and were painted a light pink. Columns scattered throughout the area to not only provede support, but to also give the building elegance that wouldn't exist otherwise. The jewel of the campus, however, was the skyscraping clock tower. The intricate details that existed on the clock's surface made it glow and time seemed to slow in the campus. The whole place was magical.

But, of course, Haruhi and Tori paid no heed toward the magnificent academy.

"Look, Haruhi. Maybe I didn't make myself clear last night," Tori sighed, lowering her head further. "I did not come here to make friends," her voice was stern now, a tone Haruhi had never heard from her, "I don't want to make friends. Not with you or anybody else. It's better if you just ignore me entirely, even outside of school." Not even waiting to hear Haruhi's reply, Tori just turned and left.

Haruhi watched her retreating form with sad eyes, nearing tears. Her mouth was open, ready to respond, but nothing came out. Heruhi just to a deep breath and then began heading to her own class.

She was relieved that Tori didn't have the same class as her. It would be awkward if they had to see each other again for the rest of the day.

Kyoya exited his sleek black limo as he does every morning. Notebook and laptop tucked under one arm and briefcase securely in his left hand, Kyoya was ready to face the day.

As he came closer to the school, Tamaki had at some point joined him in his walk. He was babbling about one thing or another that Kyoya would never bother with keeping track of unless it benefitted him. It was most likely about Haruhi.

"Oh! Kyoya, did you hear that we're getting a new student in our class today?" Tamaki beamed. He clasped his hands together and did a little spin on one foot. His smile was so big that it could possibly split his face in half. Girls in the distance could be seen giggling and shrieking with delight at Tamaki's actions.

Kyoya sighed and pushed up his glasses, the light reflecting perfectly. "Yes, Tamaki. I did hear about the new student. And I must state, they have quite a mysterious persona," Kyoya mused as he continued with his even pace towards the school's main doors, never missing a step.

Tamaki continued to twirl around as if he were some kind of ballerina. Kyoya couldn't understand why Tamaki was so excited about the new student. As far as Kyoya knew, there was nothing special about them.

They reached their class in record time and took their seats as the final bell chimed throughout the many rooms of the school. Taking the necessary materials, the students waited for the teacher to address them.

"Students," the teacher said. He was an old man. Tall and skinny with grey hair that was slicked back with the use of possibly too much hair gel as well as large square-like glasses that made his wise brown eyes seem enormous. His voice was smooth and direct, loud enough to reach every corner of the room, but not so loud as to be considered yelling. He gained his students attention as he stood at the front of the class with his hands behind his back and his gaze stern.

"We have a new student today," he announced, "She's another scholarship student. Her name is Tori Karoto." His used one hand to motion towards the entrance of the classroom. Every students head turned in that direction, some with bored yes while others sustained interest. Tamaki was nearly jumping out of his seat, he could hardly hold in his excitement. Kyoya just sat, staring at the door intensely, ready to scrutinize the girl.

The door creaked open and in walked the new student. The entire student body, including the teacher, gave out a small gasp. Black hair and pale skin was just the beginning. This _girl_ was wearing the Ouran Academy _Boys'_ uniform. They didn't understand why, but at the same time it made her more mysterious.

"Miss Karoto," the teacher scolded, his eyes blazing. "You are not in the correct uniform."

"Is this the Ouran Academy Uniform?" She asked, her voice immediately entrancing the guys in the class, excluding Kyoya. He examined the girl with his penetrating gray eyes. He noticed the dark undertone that laced her words and the unsaid threat that floated through the air.

"W-well, y-yes," and apparently, so had the teacher for he was stuttering with wide panicked eyes.

"Then I'm fine," Tori stated sternly.

Kyoya noticed that she kept her head slightly bowed, her bangs intentionally covering her eyes from view. He wondered what she was hiding behind those onyx locks.

The teacher motioned with a shaking hand for Tori to take a seat, next to Kyoya of all people. But that also meant that she would be close to Tamaki and that could get real annoying real fast.

Class began shortly after the students returned to reality and payed attention to the lesson. Every once in a while the teacher would glance at Tori with scared eyes. Tori either didn't notice or didn't care, for her eyes stayed focused on the front bored and she took down every note she could. Her pen speedily scribbling down the curriculum. Her foot was now propped up on her chair, her head resting on her knee as she continued her incessant note taking.

When Haruhi finally reached her class, her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were downcast. Upon entering the room, Haruhi was immediately spotted by the two red-headed devils.

Seeing Haruhi's uncommonly depressed mood, the twins exchanged a worried look before making it over to their friend. They wrapped their arms around her shoulders and leaned into her cheek, rubbing their own cheek against hers.

"What's wrong Ha-ru-hi?" They chorused through the excited squeals that had erupted from the females in the room at the show of affection. They continued rubbing Haruhi's cheeks, beginning to irritate her; just as they planned.

"Guys, get off," Haruhi whined, trying to escape from their grasp.

"Not until you agree to tell us what's wrong," Haruhi distinguished as Hikaru pouted. His bottom lip stuck out slightly and his golden hazel eyes had _fake_ tears pooling in the irises.

Haruhi sighed, gave them both her natural smile, and nodded. They returned the smile with a genuine one of their own, and released Haruhi. Leading her to their desks, they began to pester her as to what the problem is.

"Well, it has to do with my new neighbor who moved in last night-" Haruhi began, but what cut off by none other than Hikaru.

"If he did anything to hurt you Haruhi, I will kill him," He declared, his eyes burning with fury at the thought of someone hurting Haruhi. Kaoru placed a comforting hand on Hikaru's shoulder and then looked at Haruhi; silently pleading her to say that that wasn't what happened.

"_She_," Haruhi emphasized the word, to which Hikaru smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Anyway, she didn't hurt me or anything Hikaru, don't worry I'm fine. It's just that, I was hoping we could be friends, but she said she didn't want to have any friends. I feel bad for her and I can tell that something happened to her in the past and she's not willing to share it. Plus, she goes to school here, she's a second year. In fact, she's in Tamaki and Kyoya's class, but I can't help but wonder why she's so closed off to making friends." Haruhi finished, tears stinging her eyes but she held them back the best she could. She didn't want to worry the twins any further.

Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged a look then turned back to Haruhi. "Maybe she'll change her mind," They said together. They wanted to give Haruhi hope that Tori could eventually come around to wanting to have friends. Haruhi smiled at them, to which they returned it. She gave them a hug, which received even more squeals from the surrounding fans.

They chuckled as the bell rang. Then the teacher walked in and it was time for class to begin.

Haruhi tried to pay attention the best she could, but her thoughts kept returning to Tori and the possibility of them being friends, which seemed mighty slim.

It was now lunch time, and somehow the twins were able to coheres Haruhi into eating in the cafeteria with them.

They were at a large table with enough space for all of them to sit comfortably and for there to be a few more guests if they chose to invite someone else to eat with them. Haruhi was sitting in between the twins, much to Tamaki's dismay. But he got to sit across from her, so that made up for it. Kyoya sat to Tamaki's right and Mori to his left. Honey sat in Mori's lap with a mountain of cake in front of him. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he dug into his favorite snack.

Across the table, there was an array of gourmet foods that looked divine and made Haruhi's mouth water, but she stuck with her homemade bento box because she knew she couldn't afford one thing on the menu. Haruhi sighed and began to open her bento.

As she began eating her homemade lunch and continued with the idle chit chat that coursed through the table, Haruhi looked around the extravagant cafeteria with slight awe.

It was like nothing she had ever seen, well at least not for a cafeteria. The benches were incredibly comfortable and the tables were spotless. They used actual silver wear and real cloth napkins and real dishes instead of paper and plastic like at her old school.

As Haruhi continued with her observations, she saw the doors to the cafeteria swing open gently as another student arrived for lunch.

Her eyes grew wide as she realized that Tori had just walked into the cafeteria. Her head bowed as it always seems to be and her strides even and long as she walked to the farthest table from anyone else.

Haruhi nudged Kaoru who was on her left. "That's Tori," She said, pointing to the girl with raven hair and unseen eyes. Kaoru followed Haruhi's finger to who he assumed was Tori.

Eventually, the other hosts were alerted to where their friends were looking and followed their gaze to Tori as well.

"Is that Tori?" Hikaru asked to which Haruhi nodded.

"Hey! She's the new student in my class!" Tamaki said excitedly, jumping up and down in his seat.

"Who's Tori?" Honey asked innocently, with wide sweet eyes and Usa-chan pulled tight to his chest. Mori also had a confused look on his face. Well for Mori, it was merely a raised eyebrow, but that's a lot of emotion for him!

"Tori's my new next door neighbor and she also attends this school. She's a second year," Haruhi explained to the two seniors. They nodded in understanding.

As they watched Tori, they noticed that she wasn't eating, but instead she was leaning against the wall and sketching in a black notebook, similar to the Shadow King's. They continued to watch her until, it seemed she sensed them looking at her because she snapped her book shut and abruptly stood from her lazy position on the bench.

She walked at a fast pace towards the exit of the cafeteria. Along the way, she passed Haruhi's table and paused. She didn't acknowledge Haruhi or the others, but her hands balled into fists and she gritted her teeth. The hosts' eyes slightly widened because they didn't know what to do.

She stood like that for what felt like an eternity, but was really only a couple of seconds. She released her hands, put one in her pocket, took a deep breath, and then started walking again.

She was going to say something, Haruhi was sure of it, but she didn't and Haruhi couldn't help but wonder why.

"What's wrong with her?" Honey asked, tears pooling in his caramel eyes as he hugged his pink bunny tighter. He was scared for a moment there; he didn't know how to react for once in his life. Tori didn't seem like a threat, but she gave off the vibe that if she wanted to she could kill you.

"I don't know, Honey-sempai. But I would like to find out," Haruhi concluded. The others nodded in agreement. None of them knew what to make of that exchange, but they needed to make sense of it soon.

But you know what they say, Curiosity Killed the Cat.

The rest of the day, including hosting duties went by without a hitch.

There was no other sign of Tori, not even when Haruhi returned home. She didn't see Tori on the way home or even by her apartment. She decided not to dwell on that thought and went to complete her normal routine of what to do when she gets home from school.

Homework, study, possibly grocery store, dinner, clean up, shower, more studying, reading, and then finally sleep.

But that night, all the hosts' dreams were plagued with one face. A pale face, with midnight hair, a pointed nose, thin light pink lips set in a small frown, and unseen eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Yay!**

**Please vote for your favorite host so that I can start pairing Tori with somebody! I'm just so excited about this story. I'm hoping it will be 10-20 chapters. Somewhere in that zone, maybe longer if people like it so REVIEW and place your votes!**

**Don't own OHSHC.**

Chapter 2: The Annual Ski Trip – Part One

Winter, one of Japan's most beautiful seasons. The snow, pure white and unblemished. The delicate flakes didn't fall from the sky, but rather danced down from the puffy gray clouds, only to lay in heaps on the surface. The sky, abnormally gray, added an ominous feel to the whole scene; however, it enhanced the serene beauty it produced.

The trees were bare of their normal sakura blossoms; instead they were silver twisted branches that connected to a washed gray trunk. They looked barren, but whimsical. Blankets of the white snow were settles on several of the tree branches, waiting for gravity to kick in so they fall to the ground.

A soft wind blew through the air, causing the falling snowflakes to swirl around before landing gracefully on whatever was nearest.

Yes, winter was a magical time in Japan. Not only that, but it also means that winter vacation was approaching and so was the annual ski vacation that Ouran Academy hosted for their students.

Every student is welcome, and its paid by the school. It's a time for the students to enjoy the snow and relax from dealing with their normal academics.

It's been two weeks since Tori moved in next to Haruhi, and since she began attending the privileged school that is Ouran.

The hosts haven't seen or talked to her much in the recent days. Sometimes they would try, only to have her avoiding them at every turn. The only ones who even seemed to get close enough to speak to Tori were Tamaki and Kyoya, but that was only because they were in the same class.

Haruhi never even saw Tori when she returned to her apartment. No sign of the black haired teen anywhere. Often times, Haruhi or her father would walk the few steps to Tori's apartment and knock, hoping to get her to answer, but it seemed hopeless.

Haruhi and Ranka would often talk about Tori and what may be wrong with her that she doesn't accept friends, but they never dwelled on it, for they always ended up with the worst possible scenarios.

Haruhi was currently in her room, lying on her bed with a book cracked open resting on her lap. Her eyes weren't focused on the printed words in front of her, but instead on the wall that was ahead of her. She had long ago given up on being able to read because her mind was too clouded with thousands of thoughts.

She didn't know why Tori was avoiding her, or why she even cares after how Tori has been treating her. But Haruhi isn't the type of person to give up on someone just because they are being difficult. If she was, she would have left the Host Club long ago.

The walls of her room seemed to be closing in on her as her mind grew more and more clouded with thoughts and questions that seem like they will never be answered.

Haruhi sighed and dropped her head onto her plush pillow. She should probably be getting to sleep, because tomorrow is the last day before winter vacation. She's not going to lie, she is really looking forward to the ski trip. Not just the trip itself, but the fact that she gets to ride in a private jet with her best friends.

She smiled with that thought in mind as she drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

Sun streamed in through the curtains, shining on the bed where it aroused Haruhi from her deep sleep. She had forgotten to close the drapes before she went to bed the night before, and now she was paying the price by waking up an hour earlier than normal.

She sighed and grudgingly rose from the comfort of her warm blankets and soft mattress. Haruhi stretched her arms above her head and bent backwards slightly hoping to pop out the kinks that had formed. She gave a satisfying moan as the cracks coursed through her, ending in between her shoulder blades.

Finally getting up from her bed, stretching her legs a little, she trudged to the bathroom. Turning on the water, she undressed as she patiently waited for it to heat up. Upon seeing the steam float out of the shower, Haruhi smiled and stepped in.

The warm water flowed down her body and released any tension that was still in Haruhi's muscles. She slumped her shoulders and her eyes began to droop.

After her calming shower, Haruhi stepped out wrapped in a fluffy white towel. She walked back to her bedroom, all the while making sure not to wake up her father. Haruhi dressed in the familiar uniform, straightening out any creases and removing any stray specks of dust. She looked at herself in her full length mirror, nodding her approval.

Quickly sweeping a brush through her hair and brushing her teeth, Haruhi made her way out the door.

Not only was she in her uniform, but she was wearing a light blue winter coat and white boots that the twins, along with Tamaki, practically begged her to accept so that she wouldn't be cold in the winter months. She didn't understand why they wouldn't just let her wear her old brown jacket and boots, they said it wouldn't be warm enough for her. Not that Haruhi would ever admit it to them, in fear of increasing their ego by 80%, but Haruhi fell in love with the jacket as soon as she first felt it's incredibly soft material and how comfortable the boots were on her feet.

Haruhi was earlier than usual, so she decided to go and read in the gardens until it was time for her to head to class. Haruhi walked the short distance to a bench and sat, pulling a hard cover book from her backpack.

Haruhi read for a little while, but soon grew restless and bored. Placing her book down on the light wood of the bench, Haruhi leaned back and closed her eyes. For a moment, Haruhi was in complete peace, the cool air feeling wonderful on her delicate skin.

She opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. The bench she was currently occupying was beneath one of the many trees that graced the campus grounds. She spotted bushes that were no longer in bloom, and what looked like miles and miles of clean, fresh snow. Haruhi felt that she was truly at peace.

Then, the bell rang. Breaking Haruhi's peaceful bubble and causing her to nearly sprint to her classroom, otherwise she would be late.

[time skip]

The school day ended without any problems.

Haruhi aced the pop quiz in her science class and got a 100% on her English paper. Normally, she'd be smiling with her accomplishments, but there was still no sign of Tori. She could only hope that the others could have possibly talked to her today.

Upon arriving to the large pink doors of the third music room, Haruhi pushed them open as she did every day after school. Entering the room, she saw everybody lounging in their normal spots.

"No Host Club today?" Haruhi questioned, taking the seat across from Kyoya, who was busy typing on his laptop. He stole a single glance at her before returning his gaze to the screen in front of him.

"Well, since it's the last day until winter vacation, I figured that we could use a break," Kyoya explained, pushing up his glasses so it would create a glare. His infamous smirk plastered on his face. "Plus, there will be plenty of time to entertain the ladies at the ski trip this week." Leave it to Kyoya to turn a vacation into a chance to make a profit.

Haruhi sighed with a bemused smile on her lips. She shook her head at the Shadow King. "Hey, anybody talk to Tori today?" Haruhi asked.

The replies were not what she was hoping for.

The twins shook their heads grimly, their eyes never once leaving the gameboy that they were currently playing on.

"Nope, sorry Haru-chan," Honey said sadly, with a mouthful of cake and Usa-chan sitting on his lap. Mori grunted, agreeing with his little cousin.

"My dear daughter! I have not spoken to her," Tamaki said dramatically. His arm was draped across his forehead and he was bent back in a distressed pose.

"I spoke to her, earlier during class," Kyoya informed, his eyes still fixed on the laptop screen. "All I was able to get from her was that she is indeed attending the ski trip." He adjusted his glasses again.

"Well, that's a start," Haruhi sighed.

* * *

Only one word could describe the ski resort: extravagant. It looked like an upgraded log cabin. It was several stories high, perched on the ledge of a mountain. The snowy rock was incredibly high.

Ski lifts traveled up and down the mountain. At the foot of the mountain was a forest, the dark bark of the trees creating a sharp contrast to the soft white of the snow.

Foot prints scattered through the snow as the students of Ouran walked about and began to ski.

Most of them were in expensive, thick coats that kept in the warmth that they so craved.

Tamaki wore a large white coat with a light purple scarf and dark purple long pants with white boots. Light purple gloves were placed on his hands. Covering his blonde hair was a light purple beanie and he had goggles for when he would ski.

Kyoya wore a black coat with a dark gray scarf and black warm pants with black boots. Holding his notebook in one hand and goggles resting around his neck, plus the gray gloves on his hands.

Hikaru and Kaoru wore matching dark green jackets with white scarves and black sweat pants with matching green boots. Green gloves warmed their identical hands. Green beanies and goggles placed on their heads, tuffs of their red hair sticking out from beneath the hats.

Honey wore a light pink coat with a bunny print on the back, a dark pink scarf, white pants, pink boots, and a pink hat with matching goggles and gloves.

Mori had on a dark blue jacket with a black scarf that laid across his broad shoulders. Black pants and boots kept him warm. Goggles were placed on his head and black gloves on his hands.

Haruhi wore the light blue jacket that the twins had given her, as well as a white scarf, white pants with matching boots and goggles and white fluffy gloves.

They were easily the most attractive group that was at the resort. Girls swooned as they watched the Host Club ski down the mountain. The twins, much to Tamaki's disapproval, taught Haruhi the right way to ski and now she was doing it with no problem. The hardest thing for Haruhi to master was stopping the skis at the bottom of the slope. Sometimes she was going too fast, but she always ended up being able to stop before hitting a tree. Her skiing thoroughly distressed the hosts when she would get uncomfortably close to crashing.

They were all lined up, about to ride down a slope. They picked one with ramps so that they could do jumps. Haruhi preferred the trail without the ramps because she wasn't sure she would be able to land.

The six guys of the Host Club were shoulder to shoulder. Haruhi was going to watch and then score them to see who the better skier was.

Their skis matched their outfits, and Haruhi chuckled at them.

As they were about to begin their little competition, another figure joined them on the trick slope.

They looked at her curiously and then their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

It was Tori.

She was wearing a black jacket with a dark blue scarf that wrapped around her neck to conceal as much warmth as possible. Her pants were the same shade of blue and she wore black snow boots that reached about halfway up her shins. Black goggles rested around her neck and a blue beanie was on her head as well as dark blue gloves on her small hands. Her black locks were up in a ponytail, her bangs falling in front of her face. Tucked under her right arm was a snowboard. The top was black, but the bottom had an incredible design of black twisting vines, at the end of the stems was blue and bright green roses, thorns protruded the stalks.

She looked hot (no pun intended), not that any of them would ever admit it.

Haruhi walked up to her. "Hey Tori. What are doing here?" She asked, her eyes portraying the confusion in her voice. Most of the other students stayed on the paths without ramps and were less steep. And, now that she thought about it, they were all skiing, not snowboarding. Haruhi raised a brow at this.

Tori slightly turned her head to Haruhi showing her that she had her attention.

Haruhi gulped, trying to get air pass the lump in her throat. "Tori, why are you over here instead of with the other students?" Haruhi asked again. Tori just kind of shrugged, looking back down at the steep slope she was about to snowboard down and the many ramps.

"Well, Ms. Karoto," Kyoya stated, pushing his glasses up with his index finger. "I believe that you would not enjoy this slope. It is much steeper and has many ramps on it."

Tori scoffed and placed her (awesome) snowboard on the snow below her. She strapped in her feet and pushed the goggles up and onto her eyes, which were still not visible.

"Tori you should be careful on this slope," Tamaki said, taking a step towards the girl.

"Yeah," the twins agreed.

Mori grunted his opinion, which was that she should not be snowboarding on this side of the mountain, but he only uses so many words.

"Tori-chan, I don't think-" Honey's protest was interrupted by Tori sliding forward and down the bumpy path.

They watched with wide scared eyes as she neared one of the ramps. Well, Kyoya and Mori had their normal blank faces on, but they were worried none the less.

Going up the ramp, Tori spun her board and landed with snow flying up in her wake. Turning to the next jump, Tori did a flip in the air as her hair flapped in the wind behind her. She did several more of these before she skidded to a stop at the bottom of the slope. She took off her goggles and shook her hair, snow falling off the onyx strands.

The hosts were stunned because Tori just did incredible tricks on her snowboard that they could probably never do.

Minutes passed before they snapped back to reality. Tori had already started heading back up the slope, her boots digging into the snow leaving deep foot prints. Trudging through the snow, she stopped next to the gaping guys and one girl. She let a small smile grace her lips as her shoulders shook with a small chuckle.

She walked away from them, the only proof of her presence was the boot prints she left behind.

They blinked, being released from their stupor. They exchanged looks that basically meant that they were going to try harder to get her attention. They wanted her to be a part of their odd family, and that's rare.

* * *

It was nearing the end of the ski trip, much to everyone's disappointment.

It was a Thursday, and they were going home the day after.

Nearing the afternoon, most of the students had gone into the resort for hot chocolate and the warm fire. There were only two students still on the slopes. That would be Haruhi and Tori.

Throughout the week, the hosts had watched Tori perform outstanding tricks on her snowboard. From flips to spins to skids and turns. She was an amazing snowboarder; they were always excited to watch her.

After seeing what she could do on the snowboard, the hosts wanted to learn how to snowboard as well, but they could hardly stand in the right position let alone actually move. It was amusing to see them tumble every time they tried to move down a narrow path.

So now here was Haruhi, trying to practice her skiing because she long ago gave up even trying to strap her feet into a snowboard.

It took a major amount of reassuring, but eventually Haruhi was able to get the hosts to reluctantly go back into the resort to enjoy the hot chocolate and warm fire. The twins and Tamaki begged her to go inside with them, but she refused saying she wanted to "work on my skiing and besides, Tori will be out here too and I don't want to leave her alone." That had thoroughly shut up the hosts as they walked into the heated building.

Haruhi was riding down a slope, next to Tori. They had been riding together for about an hour but haven't said a word to each other.

They were nearing the bottom and Haruhi was trying to slow down, but she just couldn't move her feet correctly so she was still speeding toward the dark forest.

"Haruhi! You need to slow down!" Tori yelled over the swishing sound of the skis against the snow. Haruhi looked over at her with scared eyes, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop.

"I can't!" Haruhi screamed frantically. She did her best to dodge the trees but her speed wouldn't slow. Haruhi made it through the trees without so much as a hit, but when she finally came to a halt she realized she wasn't on solid ground anymore.

Looking down, she saw the cracked surface of a frosted over lake. She shut her eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable to happen, the ice to break.

Upon seeing Haruhi disappear into the forest, Tori sighed and went after her on her snowboard. She followed the tracks that Haruhi left behind and found that she was being led towards the lake. This only increased her anxiety, because Haruhi might have fallen in.

Reaching the lake, she saw Haruhi standing on shaky legs, her eyes shut so tight her head was trembling. Her hands were holding onto the ski poles tightly.

Tori unstrapped her feet from her snowboard and slowly walked towards the frozen lake. "Haruhi," she said calmly, soothingly. "You need to calm down and don't move. I'm going to get you, but you need to stay still."

Haruhi gave a small nod, only to regret it a second later as the ice cracked further and finally gave out beneath her. She plunged into the frosty water, her skis causing her to sink further into the blackened depths of the lake.

"Haruhi!" Tori yelled, jumping in after her. She had disregarded her hat and gloves before she to plunged into the water.

She frantically searched the water, finally spotting Haruhi a few feet away from her, holding her throat as she lost air. Swimming further and further into the frozen water, Tori grabbed Haruhi's arm and pulled her to her chest. She swam back up to the whole that they had so recently fallen through. Hauling Haruhi out of the river, she placed her on the ice as she submerged herself into the water to retrieve the skis that were still in the water. She knew Kyoya wouldn't be happy if they lost them.

Haruhi opened her eyes, coughing up water and looking around for Tori. But not finding her, Harhi's heart began to race. Why wasn't Tori up here with her? Then she saw the bubbles coming from the whole that had formed beneath her feet only moments ago.

She watched as Tori's head popped up with the skis in her hands. Placing the skis beside Haruhi, Tori lifted herself from the freezing water with ease.

She crouched down in front of Haruhi. "Do you think you can walk?" She asked, her voice gentle. Haruhi tried to move her legs but realized that they felt like lead and she couldn't lift them if she tried. So she lowered her head in shame and embarrassment as she shook her head. Tori sighed.

"Ok, well I think I saw a cave that we could wait out in until someone finds us. I won't be able to carry you all the way back to the ski lodge. Let's go," Tori stated, beginning to lift Haruhi.

"W-what a-are y-you d-d-doing?" Haruhi stuttered, her teeth clattering together.

Tori sighed again. "I'm putting you on my back, it's the best way for me to carry you and still get the skis and my snowboard," She explained, finally getting Haruhi on her back. Haruhi nodded, still trembling.

Tori grabbed her gloves and hat from the ground as well as the skis and her snowboard. The weight of Haruhi on her back as well as the weight of carrying the snow equipment, Tori was nearly overwhelmed as she stomped towards the cave she saw earlier.

* * *

Meanwhile…

The hosts were enjoying their time in front of a small fire.

They were each wearing warm sweaters of varying colors. Tamaki's red, Kyoya's black, Honey's pink, Mori's dark blue, Hikaru and Kaoru wearing matching orange sweaters.

They all had a steaming cup of hot chocolate with several marshmallows.

The twins and Tamaki were just sitting with their hands stretched out towards the fire warming their insides. They had small smiles of contentment on their faces.

Honey was sitting at a table in the corner with a mountain of warm cakes. His favorites, mainly strawberry cake were on the table. The adorable smile on his face could melt any heart has he consumed his favorite snack. Mori sat across from him, hot chocolate in hand, a tiny smile gracing his usually stoic face.

"I'm a little worried about Haruhi," Tamaki voiced his concern, his smile instantly tugging down into a frown. Tamaki stepped back from the fire and rested his back against the couch behind him. He sighed and lowered his head.

"Tamaki, Haruhi will be fine. Remember, Tori is out there with her," Kyoya assured, his eyes still intently focused on his pineapple laptop.

"Yeah, I know," Tamaki said, his voice unusually serious. This gained the others attention. "I just have a bad feeling, like something happened to them," his spoke gently, his eyes showing intense concern.

Honey nodded in agreement. "I've been having the same feeling Tama-chan, but I thought it would pass because I know Tori would take care of Haruhi. Wouldn't she?" Honey asked, his eyes slowly filling with tears. What if Tori didn't do anything to help Haruhi if she got hurt? Honey shook his head at the thought; he just knew it couldn't be true. But he still had his suspicions.

"We agree with Tono. We should go out and check on Haruhi, just to make sure that she's alright and that Tori is watching over her," the twins synchronized. They, too, were worried for their friend.

Mori, after seeing his distressed cousin, said "Ah," in affirmation that they should go out there. You know Mori, he doesn't talk much (but he's still hot so it's ok!).

Kyoya gave a defeated sigh as he closed his laptop. "Fine, we'll go out there and make sure that Haruhi is fine. Everybody garb your coats and boots."

They raced to the racks that their coats and boots were currently located and put them on. Tamaki had trouble with his buttons because he was moving so fast and eventually Kyoya walked over and buttons the jacket for him. Mori helped Honey with his coat and the twins buttoned each others.

They speed walked out of the resort, heading towards the ski slopes. Tamaki was nearly sprinting and on several occasions tripped on the snow.

Once they arrived at the ski slopes, Tamaki searched with wide eyes and crazy hand gestures for "his daughter", not finding her anywhere. He was now really scared at not seeing Haruhi. She hadn't gone back into the resort, they were sure of it, and they can't find her out here.

But that wasn't the only thing that caused them worry, but Tori was gone too.

Where are they?

The hosts immediately went to their snow mobiles and started a further search.

* * *

**Well, I hope enjoyed Part One of the Ski Trip. Please Review and VOTE for your favorite host for Tori!**

**The current votes are:**

**Tamaki - 0**

**Kyoya - 1**

**Mori - 0**

**Honey - 0**

**Hikaru - 0**

**Kaoru - 1**


	3. Chapter 3

**Love the reviews! And if you have any ideas for the story, please tell me and I will take them into consideration! Don't forget to continue voting! The votes are now:**

**Tamaki - 0**

**Kyoya - 3**

**Mori - 0**

**Honey - 0**

**Hikaru - 1**

**Kaoru - 2**

**Both Twins - 1**

Chapter 3: The Annual Ski Trip – Part Two

It had started with only a few flakes falling from the sky, but it quickly escalated into a snow storm. The winds blew rough, causing Tori to nearly topple over in her trek towards the cave that was to be their shelter for the night. She had Haruhi securely on her back, while the skis and snowboard were tucked under each arm.

Haruhi's breaths were shallow and she was shaking terribly, making it harder to make her way through the thick snow. Then, about twenty feet in front of her, the cave could be seen. Tori smiled with satisfaction then picked up her pace to get there faster.

Stepping into the rock opening, Tori moved farther back, hoping to find a place to set down Haruhi that wouldn't be incredibly uncomfortable. She found a rock big enough to rest Haruhi against.

She put her down and she leaned against it with a trembling sigh. Tori set the skis and snowboard on the rough ground next to Haruhi.

"Haruhi," Tori said soothingly, crouching down in front of the frozen girl. Haruhi looked up at her with scared and glassed over eyes. "I need you to take off your jacket." Haruhi's eyes widened at this. Why would she take off her jacket in the middle of the storm?

"W-why?" Was all Haruhi could choke out instead of voicing the entire thought.

"Because, it's soaking wet. It'll hurt you more than help you. Don't worry, I'll keep you warm but you need to hang in there and you need to trust me," Tori had a reassuring smile on her face that Haruhi could not ignore. So she slowly and shakily lifted her hand to unbutton the coat, but her hands were too wobbly.

"May I?" Tori asked, lifting her hands towards the coat. Haruhi nodded, knowing she wouldn't be able to unbutton it herself. She did her best to ignore the small tremor in Tori's hands, showing her fear.

Finally getting the jacket off, Tori stood and began to take off her own jacket.

"W-what a-are y-you d-d-doing?" Haruhi stuttered out. Her arms were wrapped around her tightly.

"Like I said, I'm going to keep you warm," Tori replied, shrugging off her jacket. Underneath that was what looked like a waterproof, dark blue jacket. She unzipped it and revealed yet another waterproof jacket, but this one was white instead of blue. Tori walked over to Haruhi with both coats.

"W-why d-d-do you h-have w-waterproof j-j-jackets?" Haruhi managed to clatter out through her chattering teeth. "Past experiences have me prepared for everything," Was her vague reply. Tori spread out Haruhi's arms and began to put on the jackets. Starting with the smaller white one and eventually got them both on and zipped. She then picked up her dry gloves, hat, and scarf warming Haruhi even more. The clothes were too big for Haruhi; the sleeves of the jackets hung over her hands, the gloves loose on her fingertips, the hat nearly pulling down over her eyes, and the scarf stretching down her shoulders almost touching the ground.

Tori got up and put their two wet jackets flat on the rock floor, hopefully so that they can dry sooner. Then Tori began walking around the cave, seemingly searching for something.

"W-what a-are you l-looking f-for?" Haruhi asked, slowly warming up under the dry clothing. Her arms were stuck under her armpits hoping to heat up her frozen fingers. Her legs were pulled up to her chest trying to conceal as much heat as she could. Her boots were a little soggy, but they were still able to keep her warm.

"I'm looking for sticks that we could use for a fire and some rocks to start it," Tori replied, bending down behind a few more boulders in her search. "Aha!" She announced when she found what she was looking for. She came out with several sticks in her arms and some stones.

She placed them down in a pile. Tori began rubbing the stones together, gaining friction to hopefully start the fire. Sparks flew from the surface of the rocks as she rubbed harder and harder. Eventually a spark landed on the pile of wood. She blew on the heat, smoke beginning to rise.

Finally, a flame ignited and spread making a small fire for them.

"W-where did you learn to do t-that?" Haruhi questioned; her eyes wide with surprise and amazement. She looked up at Tori who had a small frown on her face, her lip was slightly quivering but Haruhi couldn't be sure if it was because she was cold or if she was trying not to cry.

"My…dad taught me," Tori said, standing up in the process. Her voice was impassive and dark, her head gazing downward at the fire. Her hands were still trembling and her legs shook the tiniest bit, making Haruhi wonder if she was cold as well.

Tori shook her head and reached for her wet jacket. She pulled out a phone. "I'm going to see if I can call for some help," She stated, trying to turn it on. Tori must have pressed the button at least five times before she gave up. She sort of growled out then shouted, "It's busted!" and throwing it to the ground, only to have it shatter. Tori sighed, calming herself then looked at Haruhi who had wide eyes. She mumbled a simple "Sorry," to Haruhi.

"Are you c-cold?" Haruhi asked, trying to change the subject for Tori's sake. She obviously didn't like talking about her family and Haruhi wasn't going to force her no matter how curious she was about the subject.

"No, not really. As long as I keep walking, I'll be fine," Tori said, beginning to pace around the cave in front of the fire. Since she gave her dry jackets to Haruhi, she was now wearing what looked like a thin, light gray sweater. The sleeves were pretty long so she had them wrapped around her fingers. She also had on her damp blue pants and soaking boots that left water prints every time she took a step.

Tori crossed her arms over her chest and held tight. Her head was bowed and her long, wet locks of black hair were sticking to her face and back. She kept walking, pacing at a fairly fast pace trying to keep her body as warm as possible.

"You should t-take one of these j-jackets, Tori," Haruhi tried to convince her.

Tori shook her head. "No, Haruhi. You need it more. But no matter what, Haruhi," Her voice lowered, becoming more serious. Haruhi looked at her with wide and scared eyes. She didn't like it when Tori grew that serious, it never ended well. "You can't fall asleep. Promise Haruhi that you won't fall asleep. Even if you get tired, just slap yourself or pinch yourself because you can't fall asleep," Tori practically demanded. Haruhi nodded, not trusting her voice to speak fluently.

"Good," Tori affirmed.

She looked out at the opening to the cave. The blizzard was at its peak. So much snow was blowing around that you couldn't see past it. It was like a white wall, blocking you from your only exit.

Tori sighed. "I hope someone finds us soon," She whispered, shivering slightly.

* * *

The guys had been driving in the snow for about a half an hour when the storm hit. They pulled over under some trees to get away from the blizzard before they continued their search.

"Where are they?!" Tamaki shouted over the raging snow storm.

"Tamaki! I don't know! We won't be able to find them until the storm passes!" Kyoya replied, distressed about his missing friend.

"But, we need to find them now!" Kaoru shouted. "What could have happened to them?!" Hikaru yelled.

"I'm really worried about them, Takashi!" Honey sobbed into his cousin's chest. Mori patted his back, trying his best to sooth the small senior. It was difficult to assure someone else that everything would be alright when you weren't sure yourself. Mori sighed, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.

"We need to find Haruhi and Tori. I-I don't even want to think of what could have happened to them," Kaoru choked on a sob, close to breaking down like Honey. Hikaru embraced his brother, cherishing the comfort and warmth that it produced.

"Kyoya," Tamaki whimpered, "Where's Haruhi?" Kyoya just shook his head.

They waited and waited. When will the storm end?

* * *

Tori was shivering incessantly, but she continued to pace. However, her speed has gradually begun to slow down.

Haruhi noticed this, but decided not to mention it. "Are you ok?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah, I'm f-fine," She stuttered, trembling more. Haruhi was beginning to get worried about her. "Hey, Haruhi? Can you move your legs? Do you think you might be able to walk?" Tori asked, her voice slightly desperate.

Haruhi tried moving her still slightly cold legs. They were incredibly stiff from being stuck in the same position for so long. She was able to move them, but she wasn't sure if she'd actually be able to walk.

"I don't think I can walk, but I'm able to move my legs so that's a start right?" Haruhi said sheepishly, hoping she didn't disappoint Tori too much. Tori shoulder slumped a little, but she tried to give a reassuring smile that looked more like a grimace. Haruhi just wished that she could see her eyes, but they were covered by her bangs and shadows cast over her cheeks.

"Hey, at least you can m-m-move. Just work on w-warming up your l-legs," Tori reassured. She went back to her pacing.

The fire was dying down, but so was the storm. Now, the snowflakes were falling slowly more like a dance than a blizzard. Tori was hoping that if Haruhi could walk, they might be able to make it back to the resort before another storm hit, but sadly it didn't work out that way.

The fire was now only a few weak flames and there were no more sticks to burn.

Haruhi was still cold, but definitely warmer than she was before. And her hair has dried significantly, so now it was only slightly damp instead of soaking. But, looking at Tori, her long hair was still wet and was making her colder than she should have been.

Then, suddenly Tori stopped. Her back was hunched and she was clutching at her arms so hard, Haruhi was afraid she would break the skin. Her legs were trembling terribly and her shoulders shook like a small earthquake.

"Tori? Tori!" Haruhi said frantically, she didn't know what to do. "What's wrong? Are you ok?!" Haruhi was yelling now and Tori wasn't responding.

"I-I c-can't d-d-do i-it a-a-anymore. It's t-too c-c-cold," Tori clattered. Her teeth were chattering angrily. Then her knees buckled, giving out from under her.

* * *

"Tori!"

"Finally!" Hikaru shouted. "The storm's over! Let's go find them, NOW," he demanded. They all nodded in agreement and got onto their snow mobiles. Hikaru and Kaoru shared one, Mori and Honey shared one, Tamaki had his own, and Kyoya had his own.

Their hearts were beating rapidly with anxiety and worry. The longer it took to find the two missing girls, the faster their hearts raced.

"Where are they?" Mori's voice rippled through the air, sounding frustrated and worried. He's never said so much at one time before. The others had to shake themselves out of their stupors so that they could focus on what was important.

"Maybe we should try by the lake?" Honey suggested, holding onto his cousin's sleeve tightly. The others nodded because that was the only area they hadn't checked yet. They began to drive in that direction.

"We will find you," Tamaki whispered as they started down the hill, leading to the lake.

"Just hang in there," Kyoya muttered, his eyes narrowed in determination as his glasses shined from the afternoon sun shining through the parting clouds of the storm.

"We're coming," the twins stated together, embracing.

"Please, be ok," Honey mumbled into the back of Mori's jacket.

"Be safe," Mori's deep voice echoed in the wide space.

* * *

"Tori!" Haruhi shouted again.

Tori was hunched over on her knees. Her head was bowed and she was shaking so hard it looked almost like a seizure. Her hair fell in front of her face obscuring Haruhi's view. Her hands clutched her arms like a life line, her knuckles turning white.

"Tori! Stay Awake! Respond to me! Tori!" Haruhi screamed at the top of her lungs. She tried to get up, she really did, but her legs were just so stiff.

"I-I-I'm a-awake, H-Haruhi. D-d-don't w-worry," Tori stuttered, her voice so quiet Haruhi had to strain to hear. Tori was still trying to act like she didn't need anybody. What the hell is wrong with her? Then again, Haruhi is the same way; she doesn't like to ask for help even when she needs it. She's always been very independent. That's something they have in common.

"S-s-so c-c-c-cold," Tori whispered, her voice shaking rapidly.

Then Haruhi heard it. It sounded like a motor in the distance, more than one motor. Maybe it was a search party looking for them! Haruhi thought happily. She smiled broadly, hoping that it was the hosts who had come for her.

She slowly but surely worked her way onto her feet so she could go out there and alert whoever was outside the cave that she was here. She stumbled over to the exit of the cave.

Haruhi's footsteps were labored and heavy. A low ache flowed through her legs with every step, but she continued on none the less.

Walking in the snow, her hope rising the closer the sound got. She momentarily forgot about Tori in the cave, shaking none stop.

"Hey!" Haruhi shouted, waving her arms back and forth, trying to gain the attention of the four snow mobiles. She smiled with success as they slowed down, pulling up in front of her. Her smile widened as did her eyes as she saw the host club get off the snow mobiles.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki screeched, running up to her and hugging her so hard she couldn't breathe for a minute.

"Mori-sempai!" Haruhi choked out, needing air. Mori stepped up and extracted Haruhi from Tamaki's death grip, much to the king's disappointment. Then, just as Haruhi had caught her breath, the twins sauntered up and latched themselves onto either side of her. Their grip tighter than normal, signifying how worried they were. They had their normal Cheshire cat grins on their faces, but their eyes showed relief.

"Haru-chan! We were so worried! What happened?" Honey said excitedly, jumping up and down with Usa-chan in his arms. Mori had a contented smile on his face as he watched his friends interact.

"You devil twins! Get off my daughter!" Tamaki shouted angrily, pointing an accusing figure at the two mischief makers.

"Hold it!" Kyoya stated sternly, raising his hand to halt the reunion.

"What's wrong Kyoya-sempai?" Haruhi asked oblivious as always. She had a small smile on her face and her eyes were sparkling with happiness. Her friends had found her and that's all that matters.

"Whose coat are you wearing?" Kyoya questioned, pointing at the blue waterproof jacket.

Haruhi's eyes widened. "Oh my god, Tori!" Haruhi yelled, moving away from the twins and stumbling back towards the cave. She was having more and more trouble walking, so Mori picked her up and they sprinted to the cave.

They got into the cave just as the fire that had been burning withered. Looking around, they spotted a hunched figure, shaking.

"Tori!" The twins yelled, running to her sides.

She was sitting on her knees, bent down far to conserve as much warmth as she could. Her teeth were clenched, her jaw trembling. Tori's hands clutched her arms, already having broken the skin because they could see blood dripping through her frozen fingers. Her hair fell in wisps covering her face from view and they were still drenched in water. Her lips were lightly tinted blue and her cheeks were flushed from the cold. Her eyes were shut tight.

Kyoya ran as fast as he could, his heart nearly bursting from his chest. His breaths were deep and incoherent. He kneeled down in front of her and lifted her head. Her pale skin was ice cold to the touch. He caressed her cheek with his palm, willing her eyes to open. And as if his wish came true, her eyes slowly opened, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

Every host gasped at the sight before them. They can see her eyes. But, they were different colors? One eye, the one on the right, was a bright, crystal blue deeper than the ocean. While the other eye was an electric, emerald green. They were beautiful, however that wasn't all they saw. A scar ran from her left temple, across her left eye, the green one.

Her eyes were pleading and filled with fresh tears. "Please," she whispered, "get me out of here. Please." Kyoya nodded, picking her up bridal style and leading her towards his snow mobile.

"We need to get her back to the resort ten minutes ago. Let's hurry," Kyoya instructed, his gaze never leaving the shaking girl in his arms. She usually looks so strong, tall, and independent. Right now, though, she looks broken and helpless. And it broke their hearts.

Kyoya held onto Tori as they drove away. Tori snuggled closer, trying to warm herself. Kyoya ignored the slight blush that coated his cheeks. Tamaki had Haruhi on the back of his snow mobile. The others got onto theirs too with the skiis along with Tori's snowboard and followed Kyoya back to the lodge.

* * *

Charging through the door, Kyoya ran to his room with Tori in his arms. The others followed, Tamaki carrying Haruhi no matter how many times she protested.

When they got to Kyoya's room, he put Tori on the bed having already pulled back the covers. He was moving so fast, trying to warm her.

"Kaoru, get the extra blankets in the closet," Kyoya ordered the younger twin who nodded and ran to the closet to retrieve the blankets. Kyoya removed his jacket and started to remove his other clothes as well until he was just pants and his bare chest (so hot!).

"What are you doing, Kyo-chan?" Honey asked innocently, his gaze on the shaking girl in the bed even though his question was directed towards the Shadow King. He had tears flowing down his rosy cheeks, landing on Usa-chan. He was worried for Tori.

"She needs heat. Direct heat," Kyoya stated as he got under the covers with Tori. He wrapped his arms around her body, encircling her in his grasp. He shivered at her cold touch, but he blushed as she leaned into his warm embrace.

Koaru came back with the blankets, scowling slightly at Kyoya as he wrapped them up together.

Tori's shaking began to subside the slightest bit. Within a half an hour, she was in a peaceful sleep, the color in her cheeks back. But, she had a fever and she kept tossing and turning in her sleep, signifying that she has gotten sick. Her grip on Kyoya's arm loosened as her breathing evened out.

Kyoya slid out from underneath Tori, doing his best not to disturb her sleep.

She snuggled into the fluffy pillow and grasped the blanket with her hands. A frown was on her face, and Kyoya would like nothing more than to wipe that smile off her face, but he shook the thought from his mind.

He put on a fresh shirt and went to leave the room. He took one last look at Tori in his bed before disappearing from the room entirely. The hosts were meeting in the sitting room to discuss what had happened.

Kyoya sat in an armchair with his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap.

Tamaki sat on the floor, near the fire as he leaned against the coffee table.

Haruhi sat in between the twins on the couch. Tamaki glared at the twins, but they ignored him with their usual grins plastered on their faces.

Mori sat in another armchair with Honey on his lap, playing with Usa-chan.

"So, I think that you should explain what happened tonight, Haruhi," Kyoya stated formally, uncrossing his legs and leaning on his knees with his elbows. He gazed at her with his penetrating gray orbs and she gulped under the pressure.

"Ok," Haruhi started uncertainly. She explained what happened with her skis and how she couldn't stop herself from heading into the forest. Haruhi told them about how she had fallen into the lake and Tori jumped in after her, pulling both Haruhi and the skis out of the water.

Kyoya shook his head. "She saved the skis?" He muttered, not believing that she risked her life for skis.

"Yeah, I didn't understand why," Haruhi shrugged then continued her story. She told them how Tori carried her, along with the skis and snowboard, to the cave and then started a fire with stones and sticks. They all raised an eyebrow at this to which Haruhi chuckled. She explained how Tori gave her the waterproof jackets she had on and how she refused to wear one of them herself.

"She's so stupid! Why wouldn't she just wear the jacket?!" Kaoru complained, putting his head in his hands and shaking it.

Haruhi continued anyway. She talked about how Tori told her not to fall asleep and that Tori was pacing all throughout the cave trying to stay warm. She tried to give Tori one of the jackets, but Tori kept refusing. Then Haruhi told them of when Tori collapsed and that's around when she heard the hosts on their snow mobiles, so she went out to get them.

By the end of her story, Tamaki had tears in his eyes and his palm pressed over his mouth. Kyoya's head was lowered and his elbows rested on his knees. Honey had Usa-chan in a death grip as his body shook with suppressed tears. Mori had a frown on his face and his eyes were downcast. Haruhi had wrapped her arms around her and was frowning. Somehow the twins ended up on the same side of the couch and were now wrapped up together.

"Well, isn't this a sad little picture," A scratchy voice said from behind them all. Their heads whipped around to see Tori leaning in the doorway to the room. Her legs were folded and her arms were crossed. Her head was slightly bowed, her bangs once again covering her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed because of her fever. She must have had a sore throat because when she talked her voice was strained.

Tori was still wearing the gray sweatshirt and blue pants. The bloodstains from her squeezing her arms so hard she broke the skin were still there. She seemed not to notice or not to care.

"You should be in bed," Kyoya stated, getting up from his position on the armchair. He walked towards her and stood above her, being a few inches taller than Tori.

She lightly scoffed and stepped away from her original leaning position. "You are not the boss of me," She said; her voice, though scratchy, was stern. She put a hand to her head and shook it. Tori had a pounding headache, but she ignored it and continued walking. She stepped right in front of Haruhi, her arms still crossed and her back straight.

Haruhi looked up at her, only to see a soft smile on her face and her bangs slightly parted showing one of her multicolored eyes. It was cerulean blue and sparkled with the light glow of the fire. Haruhi's breath caught in her throat.

"Are you ok?" She asked softly.

Haruhi nodded dumbly. Her words couldn't get passed the lump that had formed in her throat. She gulped, trying to get air passed it. "W-why are you asking me? Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Haruhi blurted out.

Tori lightly chuckled, her shoulders moving up and down. "I'm not the one who fell into a frozen lake with skis strapped to my feet," Tori pointed out.

"But you did jump in after her," Kaoru countered, getting up from his position on the couch. "And then you gave her your dry jackets, leaving you in a thin sweater and damp pants." By now, Kaoru was standing about a foot away from her with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a small scowl on his face.

Tori shrugged her shoulders. "Not the first time I've risked my life for someone and it won't be the last," Tori said nonchalantly like it's the most normal thing to say in the world.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hikaru bit out through clenched teeth. Why can't this girl just realize that she should have taken care of herself as well as Haruhi? That thought traveled through every mind of the hosts.

"Forget I said anything," Tori said, looking away from them with her eyes cast down at the ground and her lips tugged down at the corners.

Honey stepped in front of Tori, and since he his short Tori was practically forced to look at him. "Are you ok Tori-chan?" He asked gently.

Tori let a smile grace her features, but you could tell it was forced. She nodded. "Yeah, Honey, I'm fine. I'm just going to go and get my stuff together, we leave tomorrow morning," Toi said, already heading down the hallway towards her room.

They watched her walk stiffly away from them and disappear behind a door.

"That girl really is something," Kyoya muttered, turning back to the other hosts.

* * *

Somehow, they had talked Tori into riding with them on the way home from the ski trip. Normally, Tori would just ignore them and continue with what she was doing, or she would argue. But she was still sick and didn't have the energy or the motivation to fight back.

So, now here they were, riding in the limo towards Haruhi and Tori's apartment complex.

Tori was leaning against a window, her head resting on the palm of her hand and her elbow positioned on the armrest. Her breathing was raged from her illness and her eyes were scrunched up.

Kyoya sat next to her, typing on his trusty pineapple laptop. He was doing his best to focus on his work instead of Tori, which proved to be a challenging task.

Tamaki sat next to Haruhi, she was leaning on his shoulder because she fell asleep. A light blush coated his cheeks, but he continued to look at Tori, worried about her being sick.

Mori sat across from Tori in the limo with Honey sleeping on his lap and his gaze fixed on the ill girl.

Kaoru was sitting next to Mori with Hikaru sleeping on his shoulder. He was tired too, but he didn't want to take his eyes off of Tori. He was worried about her because she seemed so sick, but he was also angry with her for almost getting herself killed. But, his anger disappeared when he saw her coughing in her sleep.

Kyoya rubbed her back, trying to sooth the coughing fit which eventually died down. Kaoru glared at the Shadow King, but it went unnoticed.

They pulled up to the apartment building, already being surrounded by commoners who have never seen a limo before.

Tori woke with the sudden movements of people getting out of the limo. She shook her head and cleared her throat. She opened the door and got out, stretching her sore limbs. She was wearing black jeaned with black converse and a blue sweatshirt. Tori stuffed her hands int her pockets as she headed towards the trunk to get her suitcase.

Her movements were slow and strained, and her eyes were drooping like she was going to fall asleep while walking. She reached the back of the limo, and there her suitcase was, sitting on the concrete. She removed a hand from her pocket and plucked the case from the ground.

A split second later, Kaoru walked up and snatched the bag from her grasp. She glared at him, but he gave her a stern look that said, "I'm carrying this for you so deal with it."

Tori sighed, and nodded.

Haruhi yawned and stretched as she got out of the limo. Mori already had her suitcase and they all began to walk up the many stairs leading to the fourth floor.

Tori lagged behind; her muscles were stiff and aching and her head was pounding.

"Are you ok?" She heard a smooth voice ask her. She opened one eye that was hidden behind her bangs and saw Kyoya one step ahead of her. She nodded that she was ok and she continued her trek up the stairs.

"You should really show your eyes more often," Kyoya stated as he put his arm around her shoulders to steady her movement because he saw her swaying. She shrugged off his arm and continued walking, completely ignoring his comment.

They made it to Haruhi's apartment and Ranka burst out from the door, grapping Haruhi and spinning her around. "Oh! My dear daughter! I'm so happy you're home and safe!" Ranka screeched, tears of joy streaming down his flushed cheeks.

"Dad! Can't breathe! Let go!" Haruhi choked out, her face turning a light blue. Ranka reluctantly released her.

Then, his gaze shifted to Tori who was leaning against the railing with her head bowed and her arms crossed. Ranka walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you the one who saved my daughter?" Ranka asked gently. His eyes soft and the grip on her shoulder light.

Tori's head lifted up and her eyes shown from beneath her onyx hair. He looked into her eyes. Each a different color and one blemished with a scar.

"Yeah, I guess," She said softly, almost inaudible. Ranka brought her into a light hug, tears flowing from his eyes and landing on her shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered. His hug tightened slightly and Tori just stood there awkwardly with her arms at her sides. She lifted her hand and pat his back. "Um, you're welcome?" She said, her voice still scratchy.

Ranka pulled back. "Are you sick?" He asked, worry written across his face.

Tori shook her head. "I'm fine," she turned to the hosts. "Thank for the ride." She grabbed her suitcase from kaoru and walked over to her apartment which was right next door. She pulled the keys from her pocket and fumbled for a moment before unlocking the door. She disappeared into the apartment without another word.

The others watched her with longing in their eyes.

Will she ever let them in or will she continue to close doors on them?


	4. Chapter 4

**Please keep reviewing and keep voting! Ok, I'm going to shut up now…..WAIT! I don't own OHSHC, ok now I'm done. Hahahaha.**

**Tamaki: 0**

**Kyoya: 6**

**Mori: 4**

**Honey: 1**

**Hikaru: 2**

**Kaoru: 3**

**Both Twins: 2**

Chapter 4: Sleepover with the Hosts - Part One

The time between the cold winter season and the fresh spring season is usually filled with many storms. Definitely Haruhi's least favorite part of the year because of her fear of thunder, but she's always had a host club member with her this season; they always do their best to protect her.

A storm was raging right now, in fact. Rain pelted down on anything it could reach, gravity pulling the drops from the cumulonimbus clouds. They were an ominous gray and lightning burst forth at unmarked intervals, destroying anything in its path. Thunder boomed in the sky, shaking the ground as it rippled through the air.

It was a Saturday afternoon and so the hosts were going to visit Haruhi at her apartment, just to make sure she was ok. Originally, it was just going to be Tamaki, but the twins insisted on coming because they "didn't like it when their toy was scared", and then Honey wanted go because he was "worried about Haru-chan", which means that Mori would join them, and Kyoya only went because everyone else was.

They had just arrived, after nearly crashing from how slippery the rode was. It was beginning to flood and it wouldn't be safe to drive in this weather, but Tamaki had insisted that they go see Haruhi.

Walking up the many stairs to Haruhi's apartment, the hosts were soaked within seconds. Tamaki and the twins shivered from their now wet and cold cloths. Kyoya had a scowl on his face, silently willing the rain to stop (if anybody could do it, it would be Kyoya). Honey snuggled closer to Mori as the taller senior tried to shield the cake lover from the rain.

When they reached the fourth floor, they all stole a glance at Tori's apartment before walking straight to Haruhi's apartment.

Ever since the incident at the ski trip, Tori was able to avoid the hosts at every turn, distancing herself even further. She even had her classes changed so she would no longer be in the same lesson as Tamaki and Kyoya. This disheartened them greatly.

They weren't even sure if she was over her cold yet, they could only assume that she was healthier because it had been a few weeks since the ski trip. They constantly thought about her and worried incessantly, some more than others.

Every time they went to comfort Haruhi, they would go over to Tori's apartment and knock praying that she would answer, but she never did.

They stood in front of the door to Haruhi's apartment and Tamaki raised his hand to knock. The tapping was soft, hardly noticeable over the roar of the thunder. No response. The hosts exchanged worried looks before Tamaki pounded on the door with his fist. Once again, no response.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki yelled.

They heard a tapping noise, they turned around to see Tori jogging up the steps of the apartment building. When she reached the fourth floor, she froze at seeing the hosts standing there. They looked at her with wide eyes.

She was wearing black sweat pants, gray tennis shoes, a black baggy jacket, and a gray baseball cap. Her long black locks were put up in a ponytail, pieces escaping the hold and framing her face. For once, she didn't have her bangs in her face and her eyes sparkled in the rain and her scar practically glowed against her pale skin. She had head phones on her head, the cord leading to her pocket where her IPod probably was, and she had a pile of mail in her hand. She was also thoroughly soaked from the incessant rain.

Tori reached up and lowered her headphones from her head, placing them around her neck.

"What are you doing out here?" Kyoya asked, concern seeping through his normally impassive voice.

"I went for a jog, then I grabbed my mail," Tori explained.

"You were jogging in this weather?" Honey asked cutely.

"It wasn't raining like this when I started running," Tori pointed out, pushing passed them towards her own apartment. Kaoru grabbed her wrist and she slightly winced.

Kaoru retracted his hand, it falling limp against his side. "Sorry, um do you know where Haruhi is?" He asked sheepishly; that wasn't what he originally wanted to ask though. He wanted to ask her why she was avoiding them, but the question caught in his throat and he couldn't seem to find the right words.

Kyoya glared at the back of Kaoru's head. For some reason, he didn't like it when Kaoru touched Tori. Was he jealous? No, that can't be right. Can it? And why did she wince when Kaoru grabbed her wrist, he didn't have that strong of a grip. Was she hurt? Kyoya shook the thought from his head.

Tori raised a questioning brow at them. "She went with her father to visit her grandmother, they asked me to watch over their house. I figured she would have told you," Tori stated, pausing outside her apartment door.

"She didn't tell us," Kyoya informed, pushing his glasses up his nose. At that exact moment, a flash of lightning occurred, brightening the night and shining off the glass surface of Kyoya's glasses. It almost made Tori wonder if he could control the weather, but then again, wouldn't he have stopped the rain if he could? He looked thoroughly pissed about the rain.

"Sorry to hear that, she probably just didn't want you tagging along. Anyway, Ranka said that they would be back tomorrow afternoon," Tori stated, pulling her key from her pocket. She unlocked it and opened the door, then she paused. Tori looked over her shoulder, at the pouring rain and frowned.

She sighed, lowering her head and shaking it. Then, Tori raised her eyes to the hosts who were still watching her. "You guys can't drive in this weather, and there's no way you could walk home," She sighed again, and stepped away from the door. "You can stay with me tonight, until the storm passes tomorrow."

Their eyes widened, even Mori and Kyoya! They were dumbfounded.

"What's the catch?" Hikaru asked skeptically. Like seriously, here's a girl who continuously ignores them but is now offering them a dry and warm place to sleep during a raging storm. It just doesn't make sense.

"Wow, glad to know where I stand with you," She feigned hurt. Hikaru awkwardly chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Anyway, there's no catch. I'm sure Haruhi wouldn't be happy with me if you died in a limo crash or whatever," Tori shrugged.

They were still skeptical. "But, why are you doing this?" Tamaki asked softly.

"Look, I'm trying to be nice here. I know I haven't exactly been kind to you in the past, and don't think this changes anything. I still don't want to be friends, but that doesn't mean you deserve to figure out a way home in this weather. So do you want to stay or not?" Tori said, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at them, challenging them.

"Yay! Sleepover at Tori-chan's house!" Honey squealed, hugging his Usa-chan close to his body. The others nodded, walking towards her apartment.

"Take off your shoes," She ordered while removing her own tennis shoes and walking into the warm apartment. The hosts each took off their shoes and set them on the tile floor next in the doorway. They scurried in, trying to get away from the rain that was still falling from the sky. The warmth of the home surrounded them and calmed them as Tori shut the door to the outside world.

Entering the mystery girl's apartment was so unreal. They looked around the room and realized that, unlike they had first thought, was nothing like Haruhi's apartment.

Off to the right was the living room. The walls were painted white and a black couch rested against the back wall. There was an armchair, the same black as the couch, that was next to the only window in the room. There was a glass coffee table in the center of the room, sitting on a black and white plaid carpet. Dark hard wood floors flowed through the apartment. On the back wall where the couch was, hanging on the walls were several instruments: a black guitar with blue flames, a black bass guitar with green flames, dark wood drumsticks, and a keyboard. On the wall to their immediate left had photographs, all in black frames, hanging on the wall. Then was the window and farther back was a rack for skateboards, which she has four hanging up on the wall. There was a black wood bookshelf on the far wall filled on every shelf with several different kinds of books. Above the bookshelf was two katanas? They were resting on the wall, one with a dark blue sheath and the other with a dark green sheath.

Their eyes widened at the sight. Then they examined the space to their right.

It was the kitchen, also with white walls. There was no wall separating it from the living room, so the space was very open. The kitchen had an island in the center. The cabinets were white with steel hardware. The appliances were all stainless steel and the countertops were a black marble. It looked very clean and new, which confused them. The fridge was on the left side of the room with cabinets stretching above the counters. The sink was placed in front of another window, and the oven/stove was to the left of that.

Directly in front of them was a small hallway where there were three more doors. They assumed one was for the bathroom, one was for her bedroom, and one was probably for a hallway closet.

Overall, the apartment was small, but it looked newly renovated.

"Why does it look so…new in here?" Tamaki blurted out, still looking around the apartment with amazement.

"The person who lived here before me renovated it before moving. Said something about starting a family and that the apartment was too small for them. But it was perfect for me, so I took it," Tori shrugged, placing her pile of mail on the kitchen counter and taking off her jacket. Underneath that she wore a dark gray, long-sleeved shirt that was also soaked. It was sticking to her curves, making the hosts blush furiously. Well, Mori and Kyoya's cheeks were only lightly tinted pink, but a blush none the less.

"It's very nice, Tori-chan," Honey said quietly, hiding his face in Usa-chan's back. He was blushing furiously, but he had a little smile on his face.

Tori smiled, causing them to blush even further, and ruffled Honey's hair. "Thanks, Honey. Now, I'm going to go take a shower," She walked over to one of the doors. They were right, it was a hallway closet. She pulled out a box and walked back over to them. "You can change into these dry cloths while I'm in there." She put the box down and closed the hallway closet door.

Tamaki opened the box, only to see a bunch of guys clothing. "Why do you have all of these men's clothing?" He asked, pulling out a light blue sweater.

Tori lowered her gaze to the floor and turned away from them. "I just…couldn't get rid of them. Honey, if any of those clothes are too big, tell me and I might have something smaller you could wear." With that said, she opened another door and walked in. She came out a moment later with clothing in her hands and then she disappeared into the bathroom.

As they sifted through the clothes in the box, they heard the water to the shower start. It echoed as it continuously hit the porcelain of the tub.

The hosts had picked out what they wanted to wear. Tamaki wore that light blue sweater with some light gray sweat pants. Kyoya just changed into some black sweatpants that were a little long so they bunched up around his ankles, leaving his chest bare; hey they were just sleeping here, but apparently Tamaki didn't feel comfortable without his shirt in front of Tori. Mori did the same as Kyoya; he wore dark blue sweat pants that fit him perfectly, they weren't even too short. Hikaru and Kaoru found a couple tank tops and some basketball shorts to wear. And Honey found an oversized Harvard sweatshirt and basketball shorts that fit him, though they were still really big, and he stuffed his hands in the pockets. They wondered why she had a Harvard sweatshirt, maybe they could ask her later.

They looked around the apartment while Tori took her shower. They just need to keep their minds off of the naked girl just twenty steps away from them. Naughty host club. Bad boys, no no.

Tori sat on the floor of the shower. She had silent tears flowing down her cheeks, but you could only tell because her eyes were bloodshot; however, her salty tears mixed with the flow of water from the showerhead. Her legs were pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her trembling body. It was too much to have them here, she didn't want to think about the past and she knew they would ask questions and remind her of what had happened to her.

She wiped her eyes and stood up from her sitting position. She grabbed the shampoo and lathered her black hair. Rinsing it off, she put in the conditioner and began to scrub her body with the body wash. Her hand lingered over certain scars on her body, but she shook herself from her memories and continued to wash herself.

Tori had the water on cold. The cold showers relax her muscles more than warm ones, and she needed the cold water to run down her body. She rolled her neck and then turned off the water. Tori sighed and grabbed the towel that was hanging on the hook next to the shower.

The hosts were looking around her apartment. Kyoya examined the pictures she had on her wall. Many of them were of her and people he had never seen before. Tori looked younger than she was now, but not by much; maybe two years? And, she didn't have the scar on her face that she has now. But another difference was that the Tori in the pictures was smiling more; she looked genuinely happy.

He looked over the other people in the photos. One was a woman who was probably in her late twenties or early thirties. She had black hair that was cut at her shoulders. Her skin was light, not pale but not tan. Her eyes shined with happiness; they were a bright blue color, similar to Tori's right eye, but softer. She was a tall woman, at least in some of the pictures, and she had curves that reminded him of Tori. Her smile was contagious, because Kyoya found himself smiling with her. He concluded that this must be her mother.

The woman stood in many of the photos with an incredibly tall man. He was probably the same height as Mori. He had to be in his early thirties. He had sandy blonde hair that fell in wisps across his face. In many of the pictures, his hair fell in front of his eyes, but the forest green still shown through the locks. He was muscular and showed obvious adoration for the woman in his arms. In every picture, you could find him smiling down at the woman. That must be Tori's father.

Then, there was a little boy that Tori was often in a picture with. Kyoya pushed down his jealousy at seeing Tori with the boy. He wanted to hold her close like that boy was. Anyway, moving on from Kyoya's momentary jealousy. The boy had the same sandy blonde hair and forest green eyes as the older man. The kid was probably five or six. Tori obviously loved him. There was one picture where the little boy sat in Tori's lap and she had her head berried in the space between his neck and shoulder, her arms wrapped around him protectively. She had a huge smile on her face and he was laughing with her.

It was adorable and Kyoya almost wanted to cry, but he wouldn't because he's Kyoya.

Kaoru walked up beside him. "Who are they?" he asked, pointing to what looked like a family portrait.

"I assume it's her family, but as to where they are, I am not sure," Kyoya stated, pushing his glasses up his nose and crossing his arms.

Mori was examining the katanas on the wall with much interest, while Honey looked at Tori's bookshelf. Hikaru was looking at Tori's skateboards and the designs on them. Tamaki was inspecting the instruments hanging on the wall; he was very interested in them and whether or not Tori could actually play them or if they were just decoration.

They heard the door to the bathroom click open and Tori stepped out. A towel rested on her shoulders, one side was in her hand being used to dry her hair further.

She was wearing a black tank top that stuck to her curves and black and white plaid short shorts. Her wet hair stuck to her bare shoulders and flushed cheeks. Her bangs fell in front of her eyes, shielding them from view once again. They didn't know this, but she was trying to cover the fact that she had been crying in the shower. The small marks on her arms from when she had squeezed her arms, breaking the skin, were now pale and healed. She was barefoot; her small, pale feet standing out against the dark wood floors of her apartment. Water dripped from her hair and down her long, curvy legs.

The hosts gulped, trying to cover up their blushes.

She looked them over, seeing which clothes they had picked from the box. Her eyes landed on Honey with the Harvard sweatshirt. "Where did you find that?" She asked, sounding slightly panicked.

"This sweatshirt?" Honey asked, to which she nodded. "It was in the box," He stated simply.

"But, I could have sworn I put that…" She trailed off, not finishing her thought.

"Do you want me to take it off?" Honey asked, tilting his head to the side as his wet hair fell in front of his face cutely.

"No!" She said quickly. "I mean, no. It's ok, you don't have to change," She replied softly. She stayed silent after that, her gaze on the floor.

"I'll put these in the dryer so that they can be dry by morning," Tori mumbled, picking their wet clothes off the ground and walking back over to the hallway closet. Peeking inside, you could see a stackable washer and dryer and above that was a shelf with several boxes on it. She put their clothes in the dryer and started it. The soft rumble of the machine was hardly noticeable once she closed the door.

Suddenly, Tori walked over to a cabinet in the kitchen and pulled out a recycling bin. She began sorting through her mail as the hosts watched her, trying to busy herself so it didn't seem so awkward. She read the cover of one letter and then tossed it in the trash. Must have been junk mail. She examined a few more, only keeping two out of the entire pile and one magazine that was in the pile. She put back the recycling bin and placed the other mail on the counter, near the back corner. She leaned against the counter with her arms crossed as she stared at the floor.

They stood in awkward silence for a moment, then Tori cleared her throat gaining everyone's attention. "Are you guys' hungry? It's only seven, so I'm sure you haven't eaten yet…" She trailed off, not knowing how to finish the thought.

"Um, yeah. I'm kind of hungry," Hikaru piped up, breaking the silence. The others glared at him.

"You idiot, why would you say that. She's a commoner, she may not have enough food for all of us!" Tamaki whispered/yelled harshly, bopping Hikaru on the head.

"Oh, right. Never mind, I'm not hungry," Hikaru said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

His head whipped around to face Tori when he heard her laughing. Actually laughing! It was one of the most beautiful sounds they have ever heard. She clutched at her stomach, she was laughing so hard. The hosts blushed, of embarrassment or because she was so cute, they weren't sure.

"Oh my god, that was priceless," Tori said breathlessly. She took a deep breath and wiped at the corner of her eye with her index finger. "Thanks, I really needed that," She smiled at them, to which their blushes deepened.

"W-what's so funny?!" Hikaru nearly yelled; he was embarrassed that she was laughing at him.

"Hikaru, calm down. I thought it was funny that you guys actually think that just because I don't have as much money as you, I can't afford to have food in my apartment," She giggled again.

Hikaru and Kaoru stared at her with wide eyes. "How could you tell us apart?" They asked together, unconsciously holding the other's hand.

Tori's expression grew puzzled. "It's really not that hard. Is it supposed to be a secret or something?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Her bangs moved, revealing her emerald eye with the scar. They thought she looked adorable, and a light blush coated their cheeks.

"W-well no, but no one has ever been able to tell us apart," Hikaru started, gripping his brother's hand more. "Well, no one but Haruhi. She can tell us apart too," Kaoru finished, returning his brother's squeeze.

"Oh, well I don't see why people think it's so difficult to distinguish between the two of you," Tori shrugged.

"How so?" Kyoya asked, interested in her thought process. He also wanted to keep hearing the velvety smoothness of her voice, not that he would ever admit it.

"Well," She got up from her leaning position and walked up to the twins. "Hikaru's posture is slightly more relaxed and slouched than Kaoru's, almost unnoticeable. Kaoru, you always tend to have pencils stains on your hands from drawing I'm guessing and Hikaru, your hands are always clean. Hikaru has a slightly more muscular build, not much but some, while Kaoru is slimmer. But the most distinguishing factor between you two is your eyes," She leaned in to look into their eyes. Hazel meets blue and green.

"Hikaru, you're eyes have more of a fire to them. More of a passion and aggressiveness. I don't mean aggressive like mean, but just bolder. But Kaoru," She switched, looking right into Kaoru's eyes. He gulped, hoping he could get air pass the lump that formed in his throat. He was blushing profusely, but Tori either didn't notice or didn't care. "Your eyes are softer, more kind. There is still passion hidden in them, but not as…what's the word I'm looking for? Intense? I guess, you just have a natural sweetness to you that most people overlook," She finished, going back to her original standing position.

Kyoya, and Mori though you couldn't really tell, were silently seething at the close proximity between Tori and the twins. Kyoya's lips were set in a frown and his eyebrows were slightly scrunched up. Mori's mouth tugged down at the corners some, but other than that, he seemed like his normal self.

"That was…" The twins were speechless. Then all hell broke loose. "Amazing!" They cheered, wrapping their arms around her in a death hug. Tori wasn't expecting that, so they fell onto the ground, luckily they hit the carpet instead of the wood flooring.

"Um, can't breathe!" Tori choked out. The twins lifted up from their position on top of her and looked down at her. Their breath caught in their throats as they saw her lying beneath them. Her hair was fanned out behind her head and her eyes were wide from surprise when they had jumped her. Her skin still glistened from her shower. She looked like a true angel.

"Sorry," they muttered together, getting up and offering her a hand. She accepted and they lifted her back to her feet.

"Are you ok, Tori-chan?" Honey asked cutely, hugging Usa-chan to his chest and tears pooling in his eyes.

"Yeah, Honey. I'm fine, just a little surprised there. Now, who wants dinner," Tori smiled.

"Sure," They all said in unison. They exchanged looks with each other before looking back at the giggling Tori. She just ignored their stares and went back into the kitchen.

"What would you guys like?" Tori asked, beginning to open up cabinets searching for something.

"CAKE!" Honey yelled, jumping up and down happily.

"Oh, I'm sorry Honey, but I don't have cake and it's not good to eat that for dinner. But I do have some chocolate that you can have after you eat," Tori assured. Honey's face fell momentarily, but then brightened again at the promise of chocolate.

"Okay!" He said brightly, a smile that could split his face in two plastered on his sweet face.

"Do you have the ingredients to make sansei udon?" Kyoya asked, silently hoping she would say yes. It was one of his favorite dishes.

She smiled at him, melting a little more of his cold heart, and nodded. She began to move around the kitchen with grace and agility. Tori moved fluidly through the cabinets and fridge without so much as missing a step. She really knew what she was doing. The smile that was on her face though disappeared with her normal impassive expression.

"You can make yourselves comfortable in the living room if you'd like," She deadpanned. They wondered what happened to her laughing and playful attitude. It just seemed to disappear, like she felt she was getting too close to them so she pulled back. Is that what she's doing? Trying to keep herself at a distance? Even when they made her laugh, she just pushed them away. Why?

They did as she said and got comfortable in the living room. Mori sat on one side of the couch, Tamaki on the other, and Honey in between. Usa-chan was on Honey's lap and he played with the bunny's arms. Kyoya sat in the armchair, gazing out the window at the storm still raging outside.

Hikaru and Kaoru sat on the ground, leaning up against the bookshelf.

They watched as Tori moved throughout the kitchen, grabbing ingrediants and cooking on the stove. She began actually putting the dish together on the plates.

Tamaki was looking at the photographs on her wall. His curiosity was getting the better of him. He just had to ask. "Tori? Where is your family?" Oh, how he shouldn't have asked that.

A loud crash echoed through the apartment, and it wasn't the thunder.


End file.
